Sensory analysis is an important part of Food Technology, Hospitality and Catering, and Food Preparation and Nutrition courses. It allows students to test, compare and evaluate food products using a range of recognised sensory testing methods.
To support practical lessons, coursework and product development, we have created a free Sensory Analysis Toolkit which generates printable sensory analysis sheets in seconds and also a tool to generate star profiles quickly too.
The toolkit can be used by teachers, students and anyone interested in food science and product evaluation.
What is sensory analysis?
Sensory analysis is the process of evaluating food using the senses.
When carrying out sensory analysis, we consider:
- appearance
- aroma
- flavour
- texture and mouthfeel
- sound (where appropriate)
Sensory analysis helps us to:
- compare different products
- identify strengths and weaknesses
- gather feedback from testers
- improve recipes
- justify changes made during product development
- evaluate the success of a final product
Sensory testing is used in schools, colleges, universities and throughout the food industry.
What can the Sensory Analysis Toolkit generate?
The toolkit currently includes:
- Sensory star profiles
- Hedonic scales
- Rating scales
- Ranking tests
- Paired preference tests
- Triangle tests
- Just-About-Right (JAR) scales
- Semantic differential scales
- Sensory evaluation sheets
All activities can be printed or saved as PDFs.
How do I use the toolkit?
Using the toolkit is simple.
Step 1
Select the sensory analysis method you would like to use.
Step 2
Enter the product name and any tester information required.
Step 3
Generate your sensory analysis activity.
Step 4
Repeat the process to create additional sensory tests if required.
Step 5
Print or save your completed sensory analysis sheets.
Why are several activities displayed on the same page?
The toolkit uses a compact classroom printing format.
This means that several sensory activities can fit onto a single sheet of A4 paper, helping to reduce printing costs and making sensory testing activities easier to organise during practical lessons.
This can be used in two different ways.
Option 1: Multiple testers completing the same activity
Generate the same sensory analysis activity several times and print them together. The page can then be cut into sections so that multiple testers can complete the same task.
Option 2: One tester completing multiple activities
Generate several different sensory analysis activities and print them together. This allows each tester to complete a full sensory testing pack on a single sheet of paper.
Which sensory test should I use?
| Sensory test | Best used for |
|---|---|
| Star profile | Comparing sensory characteristics visually |
| Hedonic scale | Measuring how much a tester likes a product |
| Rating scale | Simple scoring activities |
| Ranking test | Comparing several products |
| Paired preference test | Choosing between two products |
| Triangle test | Identifying small differences between products |
| JAR scale | Deciding whether a characteristic is too much or too little |
| Semantic differential scale | Comparing opposite characteristics |
| Evaluation sheet | Recording detailed feedback |
Further guidance
If you would like to learn more about sensory analysis methods, you may also find these guides useful:
- Sensory words for food evaluation
- What is a star profile?
- What is a a hedonic scale?
- What is a ranking test?
- What is a paired preference test?
- What is a triangle test?
- What is a Just-About-Right (JAR) scale?
- What is a semantic differential scale?
Launch the Sensory Analysis Toolkit
Click to open the free Sensory Analysis Toolkit and begin creating sensory analysis activities.
